New team for pastoral care

Published:06:00Friday 04 March 2011

THE KIRK session of Monifieth Parish Church has decided to form a pastoral care team.

It is considered that following the retiral of the Rev. David Jamieson at the end of April, the one remaining minister, the Rev. Dorothy Anderson, will not be able to provide the same level of pastoral care to the congregation and parish as a team of three could do.

The pastoral care team will help the minister with at least some of the visits. A team of seven members, all with an interest in pastoral care and most with a background in caring professions, has met and begun to prepare for their role as pastoral visitors. It is the intention that this arrangement will not begin until the end of April, after Rev. Jamieson has retired.

A spokesperson for the team, Jane McArtney, explained: “Our aim is to show Christian care and concern for those in the congregation and parish. This will mainly be by calling on people in their homes, but may also include hospital, or care home visiting.

“All members of our team are fully aware of the confidential nature of this kind of work and we hope that the people whom they visit will feel they can discuss things with their visitor in total confidence and know that they will be listened to sensitively.

“We expect that this new arrangement will take some getting used to, and it may need to be modified in the light of experience, but we hope that it will be a positive and helpful experience for all; and that members and non-members alike will welcome Pastoral Care visitors into their homes, in the same way as they would welcome a minister.”

She went on: “As convener of the team, I will have responsibility for coordinating visits and liaising with Rev. Anderson.”